YES, provide health benefits now!

Extending the health care benefits of a Commonwealth employee to another adult in his or her household is absolutely necessary for Virginia.  Over 300 colleges and universities nationwide provide such benefits and ALL of our state institutions are ranked higher than that in their respective tiers.  We are out-of-step with our peer institutions and don’t make the grade compared to schools we routinely think are not in our league.  Competition for the best faculties and employees in all sectors is fierce, and given lots of choices for alternate employment, who would choose a system with benefits that are 20 years out of date?  Seven years ago we incorporated into our household an adult relative who is blind.  This new provision would be a godsend for our family if she had no other recourse.  And yes, I am a gay employee of the Commonwealth who needs health coverage for his partner of 23 years.  The faculty of the College of Wm & Mary has unanimously endorsed domestic partner benefits repeatedly over the past 15 years.  This is a chance to finally act in accord with our conscience.

George Greenia, College of William & Mary